Sweden was originally a plural form of Swede and is a so-called "back-formation", from Old English Sweoðeod, which meant "people of the Swedes" (Old Norse Svíþjóð, Latin Suetidi). This word is derived from Sweon/Sweonas (Old Norse Sviar, Latin Suiones). As the name for the country itself, Sweden is borrowed from Dutch Zweden, which is probably the dative case of Zwede. It appeared in Scots during the 17th century in forms such as Swethin and Swadne. Before this, Sweden was called Swedeland, and in Old English it was called Sweoland (see Svealand) or Sweorice (Old Norse Sviariki, which is an older form of the modern Swedish name for the country, Sverige). Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Suiones, Swedes, Svíar or Svear, were an ancient Germanic tribe in Scandinavia. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Suiones, Swedes, Svíar or Svear, were an ancient Germanic tribe in Scandinavia. ... Scots or Lallans (Eng: Lowlands), sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from the Gaelic language of the Highlands, is a West Germanic language used in Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, and border areas of the Republic of Ireland, where it is known in official circles as Ulster Scots or... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ...

In Sweden, the form Swerike is attested from the end of the 13th century, Svearike, from the 14th century, as well as the Icelandic Svíaríki and the Old Gutnish Suiariki. In those days the meaning was restricted to the older Swedish region in Svealand and did not always include Götaland, the land of the Geats. (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... Old Gutnish was the dialect of Old Norse that was spoken on the island of Gotland. ... Svealand Swedens historical four lands. ... Götaland Maps of Swedens historical three lands, and Österland in Finland. ... Geats (Gautar Old Norse or Götar in Swedish) is the Old English spelling of the name of a Scandinavian people living in Götaland, land of the Geats, currently within the borders of modern Sweden. ...

Towards the end of the 15th century, the form had changed to Swerighe both in Swedish and Danish, like bakare ("baker") to bagare and mik ("me") to mig. Finally in the 17th century, forms such as Swerghe and Swirghe appeared. Gustavus Adolphus used the form Swirge. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Gustav II Adolph Gustav II Adolph (December 9, 1594 - November 6, 1632) (also known as Gustav Adolph the Great, under the Latin name Gustavus Adolphus or the Swedish form Gustav II Adolf) was a King of Sweden. ...

Today, the pronunciation has changed the form further and it is pronounced Sverye in modern Swedish, while the late medieval form Sverige is used in writing.

Much is made about the difference between the medieval forms Svearike and Sverige. Although, medieval Swedes were unlikely to see it as anything else but a matter of pronunciation. There is, however, an alternative hypothesis, first proposed by Ivar Modéer, and later popularized by the Swedish author Jan Guillou that the form is a loan from the Danish form of Sverike (Sverige). The objective is to separate the two forms as two different concepts, and today Svearike has formal connotations, and may even be used to treat Iron Age-Medieval Svearike as a different nation from the later Sverige. Jan Guillou Jan Oscar Sverre Lucien Henri Guillou (pron. ...

See also

• Swedish language
• Sweden
• List of country name etymologies